The latest on fee protests: NMMU students’ case is postponed

A STUDENT at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Pietermaritzburg campus has been shot and injured‚ reportedly by police officers‚ as violent clashes erupted on Thursday morning.

In Port Elizabeth, the nine Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) students arrested on Wednesday had their case postponed on Thursday.

Protesting students at Fort Hare burned down a building on the Alice campus in a protest said to be about safety on the campus.

And in Grahamstown, Rhodes University students are calling for a complete shutdown.

UKZN Pietermaritzburg

According to a fellow student‚ Zinhle Masangwana was inside the Malherbe Residence building when police officers stormed the building.

They then allegedly opened fire‚ hitting Masangwana‚ a science student‚ in the right arm.

She was carried from the building by fellow students‚ who claimed police had used live rounds.

Police and students were involved in clashes all morning‚ with students moving in small groups and then dispersing before regrouping in different locations.

Students were also spraying fire extinguishers to create clouds of vapour that obscured officers’ view of them and their activities. They were also stoning police.

At midday‚ about 300 students had stormed the main Pietermaritzburg campus.

NMMU

Nine students who were arrested on Wednesday appeared briefly in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court on Thursday morning.

They were arrested on Wednesday of charges of contravening the National Road Traffic Act and public disturbance. One of the students faces an additional charge of obstructing the police in the execution of their duties.

The students – who were held at the Humewood police station – were granted bail of R50 late on Wednesday. They appeared in court in Thursday morning and were told to appear again on October 12.

The #NMMU9‚ as they have been named‚ declined to comment until after a meeting with student leaders at the South Campus later on Thursday.

Rhodes

Police vehicles were parked outside the main administration building of Rhodes University in Grahamstown‚ where protesting students and staff were meeting on Thursday.

Local student newspaper the Oppidan Press tweeted photos of the cop cars‚ saying: "Police have not received an order to enter the admin building‚ but students are advised to evacuate #UCKAR #Fees2017."

Students at the university‚ referred to by the hashtag #UCKAR (university currently known as Rhodes) on Twitter‚ are calling for a complete shutdown of its operations.

While classes are suspended‚ administration and support services continue. Classes are expected to resume on Monday‚ according to a notice issued to students by the university.

Fort Hare

Protesting students at the University of Fort Hare burned down a building during riots in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The protest at the university’s Alice campus was said to be over safety concerns at the campus.

The multimillion-rand Equicent Infrastructure Development Building contained millions of rand’s worth of equipment and tools when it was torched.

About 30 plasma TVs‚ washing machines‚ computers‚ beds‚ stoves‚ chairs‚ beds and maintenance tools were among the items destroyed in the blaze.

Some students were in class when DispatchLIVE visited the campus. The glass at the main gate was broken.

There was no police presence on campus on Thursday afternoon and the university was not immediately available for comment.

No arrests have been made in relation to the protest action.

UCT

The University of Cape Town has been closed for the rest of the week.

UCT said the decision to close the university was made "at a meeting of the senior leadership group" on Wednesday night.

All activities are suspended on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This includes libraries, the 24/7 study area and the Jammie bus service.

UCT said it would provide updates on its website‚ Facebook and Twitter platforms.

The university has been the scene of sometimes violent protests since Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande’s announcement on Monday about fees increases for 2017.